NCERT History Class 6 – Notes of Chapter 11: New Empires and Kingdoms

Guptas

Samudragupta, Gupta has ruled before 1700 years, i.e. AD 300 and Harisena was his court poet.

Gupta Rulers

Gupta Rulers

The first ruler of the Gupta dynasty to adopt the grand title of maharaj- adhiraja, a title that Samudragupta which is also used for the Chandragupta’s father.

“Prashasti” = which means ‘in praise of’. Prashasti about Samudragupta was inscribed on the Asokan pillar at Allahabad (Prayag).

Main centers of Guptas was

Prayag (Allahabad, UP)

Ujjain (Avanti, MP)

Pataliputra (Patna, Bihar)

Harshavardhan & Harshacharita

Harshavardhan Biographies include all the information about their dynasty.

Harshavardhan Dynasty

Harshavardhan dynasty

They had started their rule from Pushyabhuti Dynasty when Gupta dynasty was fading.

Banabhatta was his court poet who has wrote his biography named “the Harshacharita” in Sanskrit.

At Harsha’s court Xuan Zang spent a lot of time and left an exhaustive account of what he saw.

Harsha had succeeded kingdom of Kanauj, and then led an army in illogicality of the ruler of Bengal.

He was very successful in the east, and occupied both Magadha and Bengal.

He also has tried to cross the Narmada to march into the Deccan, but Pulakeshin II from Chalukya dynasty has stopped him.

The Pallavas, Chalukyas and Pulakeshin

Pallavas, Chalukyas and Pulakeshin Empier

Pallavas, Chalukyas and Pulakeshin Empier

The most important ruling dynasties in south India during this period was the Pallavas and Chalukyas.

The kingdom of the Pallavas was speeded up to the Kaveri delta around its capital Kanchipuram, whereas the Chalukyas was concentrated around the Raichur Doab, between the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra.

The Pallavas and Chalukyas normally invaded one another’s lands which were wealthy ones.

Pulakeshin II was the best Chalukya ruler. Ravikirti was poet of his court who has written his bibliography.

The Pallavas gave way to new rulers belonging to the Rashtrakuta and the Chalukyas belonging to Chola dynasties.

For this rulers Land revenue was important and the village sustained the basic unit of administration.

There were military leaders they provide troops to the each king when they needed. And these men were known as samantas.

The literatures of the Pallavas mention a number of local assemblies including the Sabha, which was a gathering of Brahmin land owners and the nagaram was an organization of merchants.

The Chinese traveler Fa Xian observed the mess of those who were preserved as outcasts by the high and massive.